Modifying means for headlights



April 15 1924. 1,490,311

} L. M. BOWMAN MODIFYING MEANS FOR HEADLIGHTS Filed Sept. '7, 1923 2 Sheets$heet 1 a 14 vewto'o LEI-[1M 130mm.

April 15 1924. 1,490,311

. L. M. BOWMAN MODIFYING MEANS FOR HEADLIGHTS Filed Sept. 7, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

iuucnfoz LEIL'MBOWH- Patented "Apr. 15, W24.

ii i at LEVI M. BOWMAN, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-EIGHTH TO 3'. R. PENN AND ONE-EIGHTH TO I. O. PHILLIPS, BOTH OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

MODIFYING MEANS FOR HEADLIGHTS.

Application filed September 7, 1923. Serial No. 661,480.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LE I M. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort \Vorth, in the county of Tarrant and J State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Modifying Means for Headlights, of which the followingfis a specification.

1 y invention relates to improvements in headlights in motor vehicles; and the objects are to provide means for conserving all the light emanating from the light-giving element and directing the same where it is most needed and at the same time serving as anti-glare means for protection against accidents. It must be understood that my invention is not a dimming proposal. All the light is needed and I have invented devicesthat have stood the severest tests andhave been demonstrated to be highly eflicient. Another object was to provide devices which can be applied to standard headlight fixtures as well as to new designs at small expense. Another object was to provide devices which comply with the reuirements of the various regulationsof the tates of the United States. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims. j 7

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application. 1

- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improvements detached from the headlight. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a reflector, its housing, the lens, and a plan view of one of the deflecting vanes and showing the means for holding the improvements in place.

' Fig.

view, and a rear edge view of a vane.

tively thin vane l which is horizontally dis- {L is respectively a front edge, a plan Fig. 5 is a broken view of the locking and posed and a plurality of vanes 2 which are relatively thin and provided with flat, parallel, horizontal surfaces. The vanes are locked together by a ring 3. .The ends 4 of the vanes are shaped to conform to the contour of the reflector 5 which is enclosed in a housing 6, being generally beveled at the ends. The beveled portions of the vanes are rabbeted to form engaging bases for the ring 3 and tongues 7 are formed in the rabe5 bets for locking purposes.

The ring has kerfs or notches 8 to engage the tongues 7 \Vlien'the ring 3 is forced on the tongues 7, the vanes will be locked in spaced relation and the ring may be soldered to the vanes.

The spacing means for the vanes are made to perform an additional function.

*Each vane 2 has a central off-set portion 9 which is in a plane parallel to the non-oil'- set portions.

formed at angles to the lengths The spacing members 10 are of the K vanes. See Fig. 4. The spacers 10 form deflecting surfaces for deflectin light towards the front spacers diverge wheel of the ve icle. The

towards the front forming deflecting surfaces 11 for throwing portions of the light outwardly.

Provision'is made for holding the light metallic strips 12 are attached to the top and modifying means in the reflector 5. Narrow bottom vanes and narrow springs 13 are riveted to the strip frame members 12. The

springs 13 bear a the front edges 0 the vanes. position of springs 13 when ainst lens 14 and against 2 shows put on the vanes and Fig. 3 shows the position after the device is mounted in the headlight.

The

springs 13 hold the device in place and prevent rattling. Figs. 6 and spacing means.

the vanes 2 and 7 illustrate a variation in the Tongues15 are struck from bent at right angles theretoto bear against the next adjacent vane.

.To get the properly spaced from front to back.

best results the vanes must be and have the proper depth The best results have been obtained by spacing the vanes one-eighth of an inch apart and making'the depth of the vanes-from front to back 1%; inches. This arrangement is uniform throughout Vabut the above proportions should bev maintained. The under sides of the vanes are polished so that they will deflect the upwardly. The

li ht downwardly and not object is to prevent light rays from powerful headlights from going a as high as the eyes of the approaching pedestrians and drivers of approaching vehicles. The light modifying means herein set 5 forth have been thoroughly tested under service conditions and found to be highly efficient. There may be other variations Without departing from my invention. The

upper sides of the vanes maybe painted, if preferred.

'What I claim, is

1. In a headlight provided with a reflector and lens and a light-givingelement; a series of thin vanes horizontally disposed across of beveled to conform to the interior con-' tour of said reflector and having rabbets formed in said beveled portions and projecting tongu in said rabbets, and a binding ring countersunk in said ralgbets and having 1 kerfs engaging said tongues.

3. In a headlight provided with a reflecthe axis of the light-giving element behind tor and lens and a light-giving element; a series of relatively thin vanes horizontally disposed across the axis of said light-giving element behind said lens and the central portions thereof being off-set in parallel planes ancL forming spacing members at angles to the Width of said vanes and the exterior inclined surfaces of said spacing members forming means for deflecting light laterally.

4. In a headlight provided with a reflector and lens and a light-giving element; a series of relatively thin vanes horizontally dis posed across the axis'of said light-giving element behind said screen and having the ends thereof beveled to conform to the contour of said reflector and provided with spacing members integral therewith and a binding ring countersunk in the beveled portions of said vanes and fixedly connected to said vanes.

5. In a headlight provided with a reflector and lens and a llght-giving element; a series of relatively thin vanes horizontally disposed across the axis of the light-giving element behind said lens and having the central portlons thereof off-set 1n planes parallel to the vanes and formlng spacing members,'said spacing members diverging from back to front for deflecting'light laterally.

In testimony whereof I set my hand, this I 31st day of August, 1923.

c LEVI M. BOWMAN. 

